Occupy Wall Street Tweets Reports of Tear Gas, Arrests (UPDATED)

In Occupy Wall Street's eighth day, protesters claim on their Twitter account today that they have been targeted by tear gas, and at least 50 people have been arrested during their march through the city this afternoon headed toward the United Nations building [Updated per retraction from a member of Occupy Wall Street's public relations working group, marchers were not headed to the UN, but back to Zuccotti Park.] Read more with updates after the jump.

Member of Occupy Wall Street's Public Relations Working Group Patrick Bruner said that he heard accounts of the tear gas from people who were monitoring the protest's livestream and from another person who was in contact with someone "on the ground."

Bruner said that the arrests likely happened somewhere between 12th Street and Union Square. The report of five women being maced came to him from someone on the scene, he said, adding that that information has to be taken "with a grain of salt."

A representative from DCPI said he had not heard anything on arrests from the field yet.

We'll update as more information comes in.

Update: 3:46 p.m.
Occupy Wall Street's account just retweeted this photo of a woman, who is said to have been "pepper sprayed on 12th and university along with 5 other people."

Update: 4:03 p.m.
Bruner has just issued a retraction in regards to the tear gas tweet. He told us over the phone that it was a report perpetuated by people who saw steam coming out of vents on the livestream, which they mistook for tear gas.

Update: 4:45 p.m.
Bruner told us in an email regarding the reported macings that "we know that at least one has been confirmed."

He forwarded along the following video of an arrest:

Update: 4:59 p.m.
Our Nick Pinto is in Zuccotti Park, which the protesters have dubbed "Liberty Square." He reports that the Occupy Wall Street media team says there have been over 60 arrests, based on their count. Most of the arrests happened in Union Square after police kettled the march that was taking place.

Nick also tells us that Brookfield Properties, which owns Zuccotti, posted notice that the protesters have to leave by Monday, but protest lawyers say that is not binding.

Nick Pinto

Nick Pinto

The protesters holding a decision-making assembly.

Nick Pinto

Nick Pinto

Update: 5:51 p.m.
Nick tells us there is a large police presence on the scene. The protester's liaison to the National Lawyers Guild is now saying that close to 100 people were arrested today.

Update: 9:28 p.m.
DCPI told us that there have been about 80 arrests.

Update: 12:01 a.m.
Bruner just issued a retraction to members of the media explaining that, despite what he said earlier, the march Saturday was never headed to the United Nations building.